How many times have you made it home safely while driving while intoxicated? If you say anything higher than one, you got lucky. I hope you've never tried. On average someone dies every 53 minutes from an alcohol-related crash (2011 drunk driving statistics). Alcohol consumption in many ways impairs all our abilities in terms of attention, judgment, understanding, quick thinking and reflexes which are extremely important while a person drives (Bose). Drunk driving causes approximately 1,800 alcohol-related crashes in the United States each year (Bose). That's why it is illegal to drive under the influence throughout North America and in Puerto Rico. An automobile accident is considered "alcohol-related" if at least one driver or pedestrian involved in the accident has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.01 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or more ( driving under the influence of 2011). My readers will learn about blood alcohol concentration (BAC), death statistics, drunk driving laws, and how the police can tell for sure if someone has been drinking. Law enforcement uses something called a blood alcohol concentration or BAC to know how much a person has had to drink. Police use a device called a breathalyzer to measure the amount of alcohol in your system. When you blow into it, use your breath to measure the amount of alcohol. This device measures the percentage of alcohol, in deciliters, in the blood. In all states of the United States and Puerto Rico, it is illegal to drive with a BAC above 0.08 g/dl (Bose). On average, a drunk driver with a BAC above 0.08 g/dl is approximately 325 times more likely to have an accident than a sober driver. There's more than one factor that comes into play when it comes to the amount of alcohol... half paper... rubbish, they're not just risking their lives; they are putting the lives of everyone around them, every single driver and every single pedestrian, at risk. Everyone should think about this the next time they get into a car while drunk. A designated driver is always the best solution. Works cited "2011 Drunk Driving Statistics". alcohol alert. Web 2014. 11 February 2014. Bose, Debopriva “Facts about drinking and driving: Fact sheet on drunk driving.” buzz. September 26, 2011 Web. February 11, 2014. FreeAdvance Staff, "If I Get Pulled Over, What Types of DUI Roadside Tests Can the Officer Ask Me to Perform?" Consulting company. 1995-2014 Web. May 4, 2014.Kotb, Hoda “The Worst Kind of Drunk Drivers.” nbcnews. July 9, 2014 Web. February 11, 2014.Stim, Rich "South Carolina Laws, Fines and Penalties for Driving While Intoxicated." driving laws. Network. 15 Feb 2014.Zador “Alcohol (BAC, gender, etc.).” aaa. Network. March 23 2014